Insulated posting tray cabinet



NH- Nun/@b NWN J. H. PAGE INSULATED POSTING TRAY CABINET om mmfw Qu m u w@ n mm ,r1 .L ...Il hun f "Si f .3 N um @e wg www, fn@ 2lb mm QN NN NN @Q N Sept. 25, 1951 Filed March 15, 1949 Sept. 25, 1951 J. H. PAGE INSULATED POSTING TRAY CABINET 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 15, 1949 .Ii w 2%/ Q o 6 m6 .1 Q 1W@ m 3. ,LM 4 7 v Y. w .m M w 4% O 7 m O 6 o AOV Uf 5 3 a 0 u ,.7, 5 5 O 2 T o .n .I n.\v. f x .1 l 9 HqulllflL L. f ...i O O O O O O o f. l f .6 1 l f .aw 3 4 1.1 5 M 7 7.. s

Sept. 25, 1951 J, H, PAGE 2,569,254

v INSULATED POSTING TRAY CABINET I Filed March 15, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 OOOOGOOGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOG0000060@ i 'Jaun ff. rage Patented Sept. 25, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE INSULATED POSTING TRAY CABINET John H. Page,4 Muskegon, Mich., assignor of an undivided interest to Shaw-Walker Company, Muskegon, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Vappiicawm March 15, 1949,-seria1No. 81,533

` 9 Claims. l

."'Ihis invention relates to improvements in record-.posting tray cabinets and more particularlyto insulated lire-resisting cabinets ofthe character mentioned, having a top closure member capable .of'removal therefrom and automatically operable to elevate and expose the records contained within the cabinet for convenient reference.

One of the principal objects of the invention is toprovide a cabinet of the characterabove 'described with an improved and simpliiied operating connection. between the top closure member and a record-supporting tray for elevating the latter when the closure'rnember'is removedfrom its normalposition overlying the top of the cabinet. l

A further object is to provide an operating connection between the top closure member and the `record-.supporting tray whereby the latter Sis supported for simultaneous raising and lowering ein the cabinet at aplurality ofpoints adjacenteach of the four corners thereof so as to elimi-nateany tendency of tilting action or binding of the supportingtray while it is being raised or lowered Ain the cabinet.

Still another object is to provide an improved and simplified operating connection between the top closurev member and the tray-elevating mechanism wherein the closure member serves as a counterbalance for the tray-elevating mechanism `to facilitate the opening and closing of the cabinet.

Y "Other objects of the invention fwill be apparent from time'to time as the'following description proceeds.

The invention may best be understood byreferen'ce to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure v1 is 'a sectional view taken fromone side of a cabinet -constructed in accordance with my invention and showing `the closure member orc'over infully-closed position. Y

Figure 2 is a view` similar to Figure 1 but showing the cover in full lines-in partially-removed cabi-net.

`corners thereof.

lside of the cover`20.

'I3 of the cabinet.

Figure 4 is a top plan View of the cabinet with the parts in the position shown in Figure 3 but with the upper portion of the record-supporting tray removed to show portions of the elevating chains and tension springs forming part of the elevating mechanism.

Figure 5 is an enlarged detailed section with intermediate parts broken away taken on line 5-5 of Figure 1.

FigureA 6 is an enlarged detailed section taken on lineB- of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is an enlarged detailed section taken on linel-'I of Figure 4.

Referring now to details of the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the cabinet indicated generally at I0 includes a single compartment, open at itsupper end, consisting of a bottom wall II, side walls I2, I3 and end walls I4, I5. In the form shown, the side,` end and bottom` walls are forme-d of a single monolithic casting of a suitable re-resisting 'materiaL such -as gypsum. Thev inner and outer surfaces of thesev side walls may be sheathed or covered as usual by thin metallic plates which need not be enumerated, excepting as hereinafter specifically indicated. The upper end of the compartment is closed by -a cover 20 also formed of a suitable casting /of nre-resisting material, also having its surfaces covered by metallic sheathing. The monolithic compartment justv described may be supported for movement from place to place on a suitable metal-base frame indicated generally at- I'Land having caster rollers I8, I8 adjacent the four The cover 26 is provided with a pairof rollers 2|, 2| at opposite sides thereof, each rotatable on a laterally-'extending stub shaft 22, supported on'a plate23, embedded in the casting atone Each plate 23 may be partially enclosed by the overlapping upper and -l'ower `iianged sheets 24, 25 forming part of the metallic sheathing for the cover, as shown in Figure 5.

The two rollers 2I,-2I at opposite sides of' the cover are arranged for'movernent along opposed inwardly-opening vguideways 2'1, 21, extending along tl'ie'upper margins of the side walls I2, As shown herein, these `guideways are defined by bottom rails-26, extendingv along'the outer edges of the sidewalls =If2, I3, and upright-metal strips 29,29 having tally-aligned end rail 3|, extending along one end wall I4 of the compartment. At the opposite end of the compartment, the guideways are curved downwardly at 32, and thence extend along the end wall I5 in slightly-diverging parallel paths in relation to the outer face of said end wal1.` Their lower ends terminate in inwardly-turned arcuate portions 33, 33 fixed to brackets 34, 34 extending from opposite sides of the end wall I5 at a level slightly more than one-half the vertical height of said wall.

The guideways 21 are arranged to permit the cover 20, under control of the rollers 2|, 2|, to be moved lengthwise of the compartment from its fully-closed position, as shown in Figure 1, to its fully-opened position, shown in full lines in Figure 3. During the initial opening movement of the cover, the latter slides horizontally toward the end wall I5 until it reaches the position Where therrollers 2| reach the downwardly-curved p0rtions 32 of the guideways 21, as indicated in full lines in Figure 2. Further movement of the cover is then effected by tilting the latter into a generally upright position, as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 2. The cover is then lowered along the end wall I5 until the rollers 2|, 2| reach the arcuate lower end portions 33 of the guideways, as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 3. The rollers finally move inwardly to the extreme ends of the arcurate portions 33, in which position the cover may come to rest in an upright position substantially parallel with and close to the end wall I5, as shown in full lines in Figure 3.

The outer end of the cover is preferably provided with a transverse marginal flange 35, formed integrally with and at right angles to the molded body portion thereof. The flange 35 also has an inturned lip 36 at its bottom end, herein formed by the metal sheets 31 and 38, which comprise the outer and inner sheathing of the cover, as shown in detail in Figure 7 On the under face of the fiange 35 is mounted a latch 'housing 49, therein adapted to engage a detent 42 formed in a flanged strip 43 fixed transversely along the end wall I4 of the compartment, when the cover is in fully-closed position, as shown in Figure 1. The latch 4| may be released by any suitable control member, indicated generally at 44, extending through the cover flange 35. Details of the latch control means need not be shown nor described herein as it forms no part of the invention.

' The inturned lip 36 at the lower end of the cover flange 35 is adapted to engage and fit closely beneath the transversed fianged strip 43 on the end of the compartment when the cover is in fully-closed position.

' The end `of the cover 20, opposite the flanged portion 35, is formed with a downwardly-offset end portion 45 adapted to have close-fitting engagement within the transverse channel strip 3| on the end wall I4 when the cover is in fullyclosed position.

As will be seen from Figure 4, the cover 20 is slightly narrower than the over-all width of the compartment and fits between the guideways 21, 21 with the bottom side margins of the cover closely nested between the bottom rails 26, 26 which project upwardly along the outer edges of the side walls I2 and I3. The arrangement, just described, insures close fitting of the cover along all the upper margins of the compartment when the cover is in fully-closed position, to protect the interior of the cabinet in case of fire.

The elevating, record-supporting platform isA indicated generally at 50, and includes a rectangular bottom plate 5| extending over the entire area of the cabinets interior, excepting for a slight clearance around its edges. This forms an aircushion which prevents too rapid elevating or lowering of the platform in the event of an unbalanced load, as will hereinafter more fully appear. I

Mounted at the four corners of the plate 5I are two pairs of upstanding brackets 52, 52 and 53, 53 upon which is mounted frame member 55 for supporting a record tray. Details of the record tray will hereinafter be more fully described.

Two pairs of roller chains are anchored to blocks 65, 65 fixed on the under side of the cover 2l at its juncture with end flange 35. The outer chains 66 of each pair are trained over sprockets 61 fixed at the outer ends of a rotatable shaft 68, which extends the full width of the compartment, and is journalled in bearings 69, 69 suitably xed to the upper edge of the end wall I5. The bearings 69, 69 and the shaft 68 are preferably enclosed in a metal housing 10, forming a continuation of the end wall I5, as shown in Figures 1, 2, 3 and '1. The outer chains 66 then extend horizontally through protection shields or housings 1I, 1I fixed along the inner faces of the side walls I2 and I3 at their upper edges. The chains 66 are then trained over sprockets 13, 13 rotatably mounted on stub shafts 14, 14 carried by supports 15, 15 xed to the side walls I2 and I3 closely adjacent the end wall I4, as shown in Figure 6. From thence, the chains 66 extend downwardly to sprockets 18, 18 rotatably supported on horizontal stub shafts 19, 19 carried by the outermost pair of corner supports 52, 52 `of the elevating platform. The chains 66, 66 then extend inwardly, in an upwardly inclined direction, to blocks 80, 80. Coil springs 8|, 8| are hooked to the blocks 80, and their free ends are anchored to the opposite pair of corner supports 53, 53 so as to form yieldable continuations of the chains 66, 66 just described.

The innermost pair of chains 86, 86 are trained over sprockets 81, 81 also xed on the shaft 68 and, from thence, extend downwardly to sprockets 88, 88 rotatably supported on stub shafts 89, 89 carried by the corner supports 53, 53 adjacent the end wall I5. The second pair of chains 86, 86 then extend inwardly and are connected to blocks 90, 90 which, in turn, are connected to coil springs 9|, 9| anchored at their free ends to the opposite corner brackets 52, 52 of the platform.

Records or files, indicated in dotted lines at 93, are supported on a tray 95, herein consisting of a bottom plate 96 and upstanding end-wing portions 91, 91. The tray is preferably fitted on upstanding marginal flanges 94 of the open rectangular frame 55 so as to be readily removable therefrom when desired; as for instance, for the purpose of removing all of the records bodily from the cabinet, or to insert or remove auxiliary weights on the bottom plate 5I for counterbalancing the platform and records, as will hereinafter be more fully described.

The use and operation of the elevating mechanism and its cooperation with the cover may now be described as follows:

When the compartment is in fully-closed position, as shown in Figure 1, the record-supporting platform 5U is in its bottom-most position, at or adjacent the bottom of the compartment. The coil springs 8| and 9| maintain their respective chains 66 and 86 under slight tension. During fastener.

55 thelinitial'cpeni'ngmovementof the cabinet, the cover? is'slid" horizontally toward the end wall I 5. The resultingpullonthe chains '66 andB'S- expands the springs 8l andBI until th'eblocks'i) andQ'IJ engage fsuitablef stops, herein formed by `the-upright'si-ipports 52 and 53 on the platform. `The chains and springs are preferably :propor- 'tionedfin' length so that the blocks engagetheir `respective stops at approximately the same time 'ithattherollersI reach the arcuate portions 32 fof thelg'ui'deways 2'I, at the end wall I5, as'shown =i`nfullilines inA Figure 2. Any further movement of the cover will then Vexert a vertical pull through"the-chainsand 86 to start 'the elevat- Aing movement 'of the platform 59. As thefrollers Y2l pass outwardly around the upper arcuate portions 32if-the guideways 21, the Ycover-istilted `iiitojariupright position, as indicatedin dotted v"linesin-li'gure-v'i.' The-platformr'fcan then be elevated, vvwith-ftherecords carried therebypro- Vjecting abovethrough the open top of the cabinet; Vwhile the cover is vsimultaneouslybeing low- -ered alongrgthe'end lof the cabinet.Y When the 'cover'raches-the positionwhere the rollers 2| engafgef-thelower arcuate portions 33 of thez guidexways l'52'.1, and finally come to rest against'the lowriendjof Vsaid'guidewaysythe cover can now be swung into an upright positionparall'el with the end w'allIE, and with the Vend flanged portion "Sipf *said cover projecting beneath theproximate "edge of the bottom wall I I, as shown in full lines inligure. In thisposition of the cover, the lelevating platform 50 has reached a level near the topofthe compartment where the records are'fully exposed for use or reference, as desired.

When the cabinet is to be closed, substantially the reversel action of the cover from that above described may be followed. It will be noted, however, that, while the cover isbeing moved vertically relative to the sidewall of the cabinet during opening or closing of the latter, the cover serves as a counterbalance for the weight of the elevating platform and the records carried thereby,`so that a minimum of effort is required eitherforv opening or closing the cabinet. Consequently,v'thep`arts are arranged so that the 4cabinet canbe closed in emergencies merely' by pushing the upper end of the cover inwardly, so as to release its lower fianged end 35 from engagement with the bottom wall II, as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 3. Thereupon, the cover can be raised to its tilting position at the upper edge of the cabinet with little or no effort while the platform is being lowered. The cover is then pivoted to a horizontal position and finally moved to its fully closed position. Sufficient tension on the springs 8| and 9| may be provided to effect this final horizontal closing movement of the cover without any assistance from the operator.

As the cover reaches the end of its closing movement, the spring pressed latch 4I will be automatically engaged in its locking detent 42, so that in an emergency only a few seconds are required to completely close and lock the cabinet.

While, under ordinary conditions, the weight of the records housed in the cabinet may be maintained at a fairly constant value, substantially counterbalanced by the cover 20, under some conditions where the weight of the records is insuicient, additional weights may be placed on the platform to provide the desired counterbalanced relationship. Such weights can conveniently be inserted in the space between the frame- 55 and the bottomform@ Although I have shown and describedacetain embodiment for the purpose A`described,-itliwillbe yunderstood that-Ido not wish to be limitedl tothe exact construction shown and describe'dfbut that various changes and modifications-maybe `m'aole without departing from the spirit fanti scope'of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

1. In a cabinet,` a compartment having 'a'n opening at the top, and a cover thereforfguide means aording continuous sliding andv tilting movement of said cover from itsclosed horizontal position over said opening to a fully `open-position along one side of l'thecompartmentjandvice versa, a record-supporting platform `vertically movable in said compartment, and means-operatively connecting said cover and saidv platform for raising the latter to -a relatively exposed`posi 'tion by movement of said cover'to fullyopen-position, and lowering said platform when saidco'vr is closed, -sai`d last-named vmeans V'including fa plurality of flexible members secured adjacent l'opposite ends -of said platform, 'and guidesfor said flexible'members at the opposite fends'of said compartment adjacent the-top theref.

`2.- A cabinet in accordance with claim1,`wliere in the flexible members are secured to the cover adjacent one end thereof, andfsaid coverservs as'a counterbal'ance for said record-supporting platform during `vertical movement of Vtl'ielatter. V

Y 3. Acabinetin accordancewith cla-im: 1, wherein the flexible members each include y-ieldable sections adjacent their ends affording -l'im-itd rextension thereof while-the' cover is bei'n'gl initially removed and-finally replaced by lhorizontal sliding movement along said top opening.

*4. In a cabinet,` a compartment lhaving'mn 'openingat the top, and acover'thereforgude means affording' continuous sliding and tilting movement of sai'd-cover-from its closed horizontal vposition over"said opening to-alfully`open position alongl one side of the-compartment, and vice versa a record-supporting'platform*vertically movable in said compartment, and a plurality of flexible members operatively connecting said cover and said platform for raising the latter to a relatively exposed position by movement of the cover to fully open position, and lowering said platform when said cover is closed, said flexible members each including yieldable sections adjacent the ends which are connected to said platform, to afford limited extension of said exible members while the cover is being initially removed and finally replaced by horizontal sliding movement along said top opening.

5. In a cabinet, a compartment having an opening at the top, and a cover therefor, guide means affording continuous sliding and tilting movement of said cover from its closed horizontal position over said opening to a fully open position along one side of the compartment, and vice versa, a record-supporting platform vertically movable in said compartment and two pairs of flexible members operatively connecting said cover' with said platform, one of said pairs of said flexible members being trained over guides adjacent that end of the compartment over which said cover moves during its sliding and tilting movement, and thence downwardly to the adjacent end of said platform, and the other pair of flexible members being trained over guides plate 5| of-thematat both ends of said compartment and extending thence downwardly to the opposite end of said platform.

6. In a cabinet in accordance with claim 5, wherein said platform has guides adjacent the opposite ends thereof, and the lower terminal portions of said flexible members are trained under said guides and thence extend respectively to fixed abutments adjacent the opposite end of said platform, and the lower terminal portions of each of said flexible members, between their anchored ends and the respective guides on the platform under which they are trained, include yieldable spring members arranged for limited extension while the cover is being initially removed and finally replaced by horizontal sliding movement along the top opening of the compartment.

7. A cabinet in accordance with claim 6, wherein the yieldable spring members are of substantially equal yielding tension, and each of said flexible members have stop members thereon arranged to engage fixed abutments on said platform when the cover reaches its point of tilting movement at one side of the compartment.

8. In a cabinet, a compartment having an opening at the top, and a cover therefor, guide means affording continuous sliding and tilting movement of said cover from its closed horizontal position over said opening toa fully open position along one side of the compartment, and vice versa, said guide means including af pair of continuous guideways, one portion of which extends generally horizontally along opposite sides of the cabinet, and a second portion of which extends generally vertically of the cabinet at one end thereof, and projections at opposite sides of the cover intermediate its ends,`movable along said guideways, a record-supporting platform vertically movable in said compartment and means including a plurality of flexible members operatively connecting said cover and said platform for raising the latter to a relatively exposed position when the cover is fully open and lowering said platform when said cover is closed, said iiexible members each including yieldable sections adjacent the ends connected to said platform and arranged for limited extension while the inter-engaging projections of said cover are being moved along the generally horizontal portion of said guideways.

9. In a cabinet, a compartment having an opening at the top, and a cover therefor, guide means affording continuous sliding and tilting movement of said cover from its closed horizontal position over said opening to a fully open position along one side of the compartment, and vice lversa, said guide means including a pair of continuous guideways, one portion of which extends generally horizontally along opposite sides VVof the cabinet, and a second portion of which extends generally vertically ofthe cabinet at one end thereof, and projections at opposite sides of said cover intermediate its ends, movable along said guideways, a record-supporting platform vertically movable in said compartment, means including a plurality of flexible members operatively connecting said cover and said platform for raising the latter to a relatively exposed position when the cover is fully open and lowering said platform when said cover is closed, said flexible members each including yieldable sections adjacent the ends connected to said platform and arranged for a limited extension while the inter-engaging projections of said cover are being moved along the generally horizontal portion of said guideways, and stop means for rendering said extensible portions ineiective when the projections on said cover are being moved along the generally vertically extending portion of said guideways, whereby said cover serves as a counterbalance for said platform during vertical movement of said cover.

JOHN H. PAGE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,045,729 Mooney Nov. 26, 1912 2,003,302 Miller et al June 4, 1935 2,201,948 Watkins May 21, 1940 

